A Flip of the Coin
by Link015
Summary: [Darefic for Writer Awakened] Joshua was a gambler. He would toss the coin, roll the dice, flip the card, etc. Money flowed in his pockets and would flow out just as quickly. Life was full of risks, he reasoned. What was the harm in accepting one more?
1. Chapter 1: Tempting the Fates

Chris: Since Writer Awakened was brave enough to challenge me, the renowned crack pairing author, I will now present a new, short, multi-chaptered fic for you all! Enjoy and see if you can guess what the pairing is! It shouldn't be too hard though…

Note: I'm actually not a renowned crack pairing author. Oh, and I don't own Fire Emblem either. And technically, he didn't challenge me. He dared me. And he didn't exactly dare _me._

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**Chapter 1: Tempting the Fates**

Joshua whistled softly to himself as he flipped his good luck charm in his hand. It was early in the afternoon and Ephraim had declared that the rest of the day be used to recuperate from all the fighting and bloodshed. Joshua didn't mind the break. After all, the time could be well spent separating an arrogant, brash noble from his coin.

'_Speak of the devil…'_ Joshua thought absentmindedly as he watched the noble in question, Innes, storm past him.

"Go back home, Tana. It's too dangerous here." Innes stopped abruptly and turned to face his younger sister, a shorter girl that had her navy blue hair tied in a ponytail. "I won't tell you again. You shouldn't be fighting."

"Everyone says that!" Tana shouted, her small hands balled into fists. "I'm one of Frelia's pegasus knights and I have a right to be here! This is my war too! And what about you, Innes? You're a Frelian prince! You shouldn't be fighting either!"

"This isn't about me." Innes's eyes narrowed slightly. "You are going home, Tana. That's all." He turned away from his furious sister and walked away, ignoring the angry glares that she shot at his back.

Joshua watched Tana, interested in the stubbornness and spunk that the girl showed. Back at his home, it would be rare to see someone argue so fiercely about fighting for his or her friends, especially a seemingly pampered princess. The princess was shuddering angrily, hot tears pouring out of her eyes. He wasn't certain that it would be the wisest course of action to butt in right now, but life was full of risks and he decided to take one. Just as confirmation, he flipped his good luck charm in the air.

'_Tails, I don't get involved. Heads, I find out what's happening.'_ Joshua deftly caught the spinning coin and smiled. It was heads. Pocketing the charm, he sad, "Hey Tana."

"Huh? Oh…Hi Joshua." Tana sniffed and rubbed at her eyes fiercely. "I'm sorry you had to see that. My brother is such a jerk sometimes."

"Why don't you tell me about it? Come on, sit next to me." Joshua patted the soft earth next to him. "I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm intruding, but my curiosity got the better of me."

"Thanks." Tana smiled weakly and sat down next to him, pulling her legs up to her chest. She looked at the gambler gratefully with her shining blue eyes and began talking. "Innes keeps telling me that I don't belong on the battlefield, just because I'm a princess! I was trained by two of Frelia's best pegasus knights, yet he still treats me like I'm a child. Ephraim lets Eirika fight. Why can't Innes let me fight?"

"Maybe he's just worried about you." Joshua offered.

"I know that and I'm grateful. But he needs to realize that I'm my own person and I can hold my own. Others can't always pamper me. I need to fight for myself now." Tana replied.

"Heh…" Joshua smiled roguishly. "I like your spirit. You've got your own brand of courage, Tana. I'm sure you'll convince your brother of that fact someday. Hey, how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?" Tana looked at Joshua curiously.

"Sure. Nothing like a little bet to put everything in perspective." Joshua explained. "We'll just bet on something important and we'll each offer something to cover the bet. The bet will be that I'll be able to convince your brother to let you keep fighting."

"I…uh…What should I do?" Tana said, flustered. "I've never made a bet before. What should I offer?"

"Something to cover my bet. Myself, frankly, I think I'll succeed, so I'll wager this." Joshua lifted his good luck charm out of his pocket and showed it to Tana, the bronze coin shimmering in the light. He flipped it, showing her that the coin had two heads and no tails.

"So I offer something to cover it?" Tana asked. "Um…Will this do?" She reached behind her and tugged at the ribbon that tied her hair into its ponytail. Carefully unraveling it, she showed the ribbon to Joshua, a small smile on her face. It was a beautiful light-blue ribbon, checkered with white squares. "My mom gave this to me. It was hers, you know."

"You sure you want to offer that? It looks valuable." Joshua said, frowning. "And knowing that you'd risk something that valuable on me losing is kind of depressing."

"W-What?" Tana flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any offense. I just couldn't think of anything of mine that would be acceptable. I'm sure that charm of yours is valuable too. I've never seen a coin that has two heads."

"I'd be surprised if you have. It's nothing really special, though." Joshua shrugged. "But I still don't want you to risk your mother's ribbon. I can't take something like that. We'll just cancel the bet for now, until you can come up with something less valuable." He smiled. "But that doesn't mean I won't try to help you. I like you, Tana. Anyone with your measure of bravery deserves a couple of friends."

"Oh, thanks!" Tana smiled brightly. "It means a lot that you would listen to me and try to help me out. So…we'll just make the bet later?"

"Sure, of course." Joshua grinned, nodding. "Good luck, Tana. I'm sure you'll be one of the best people in our army. Better than me, probably."

Tana blushed and looked down. "That's too much…but thanks. I'll try my best!" She stood up and tied her mother's ribbon back into her dark-blue hair. "Bye Joshua, and thank you!"

Joshua nodded his farewell and watched her leave. She certainly was a very delightful person to talk to and for once, he didn't mind not being able to make a bet with someone else. He smiled whimsically and flipped his coin in the air. "Heads."

_---_

The next day, everyone was busy setting up for the trek ahead. After their little break, they were now going to advance on the capital of Renais, which was occupied by the soldiers of Grado. Unfortunately for some, the advance would have to be cut short.

"Tana, I don't want to say this, but I have to prevent you from entering the fighting." Ephraim said.

"Ephraim, not you too!" Tana pleaded as she faced the handsome prince of Renais. Ephraim looked at her with a concerned expression, his hands gripped tightly around his lance. "What did my brother say to you?"

"Look, I know that you can fight. I've watched you. But you shouldn't be so far ahead in the front. What if archers were to shoot at you? What could I say to your father? You're my responsibility, Tana, and I don't want you to get hurt." Ephraim said, frowning. "Please listen to me."

"Grrr…" Tana ground her teeth together. She was normally a cheery girl, but when she wanted to be, she could be extremely stubborn. Now was one of those times. "How will I ever get stronger if I'm not allowed to fight? A princess should not just be safe. She should be strong and wise!"

"And it's not wise to be out in the front." Ephraim pointed out.

"Then why are _you_ at the front? You're the future of Renais. You shouldn't be fighting either." Tana challenged. "Eirika is allowed to fight. Am I that different?"

Ephraim sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Tana…Look, I have lots of things to do right now. We can talk about this later. Just…be careful out there."

Tana's fierce expression faded into a tired, kind smile. "Thank you, Ephraim. I'm sorry I'm such a pain. I'll try my best to not get hurt out there. Don't worry about me." She bowed briefly before leaving Ephraim's tent.

Outside, Joshua, who was wearing his trademark grin and flipping his good luck charm in the air, met her. Joshua pocketed the coin and waved at her, smiling. "I heard the commotion. Any luck? Judging from your expression, I'd have to say that you weren't exactly successful."

"You're right…" Tana sighed sadly. "I like Ephraim a lot, but he worries over me too much. And he never notices how I feel. He's always busy getting challenged by Innes or worrying about how we're going to defeat Grado's soldiers. The war is killing him slowly, Joshua, and I don't know what I can do."

"Hey, cheer up. A beautiful girl like you shouldn't have to wear a frown like that. I'd hate to have to see your lovely face marred with sadness." Joshua smiled and flipped his coin at her. Tana caught the coin by reflex and blushed with pleased embarrassment when the full meaning of Joshua's words hit her. She hurriedly handed Joshua back the coin.

"Don't kid me like that, Joshua. I'm flattered, but now isn't the time." Tana shook her head. "We have to get ready for battle. I'll see you out there, okay?"

"I'll be watching for you." Joshua laughed briefly. "Hey, since we couldn't have a bet last time, how about we have one now? Let's see who can defeat the most enemies in one battle."

"I don't know if I'm comfortable taking a bet like that." Tana murmured. "Betting on the deaths of our enemies…It seems cruel. I'm not sure if I can do that. Life is too precious to be wasted on a bet."

Joshua gave a small sigh and shrugged. "What a shame. A bet has a way of getting you prepared for battle. Very well then. I guess I'll have to wait for a better opportunity." He looked at Tana thoughtfully. "I heard you saying that a princess needs to be strong and wise. From my standards, I think you're filling out both of those qualities very well. I have no doubt that you'll become a great Queen someday."

He turned and left, raising his hand in farewell. Tana blushed again as the full measure of his words hit her. She hurried off to collect her equipment, Joshua's words ringing in her mind. A small smile lit her face as she ran through the camp. _'Thanks Joshua.'_

_---_

'_Whew, this is tough.'_ Joshua thought as he raised his sword to parry an opponent's strike. The army was positioned outside of Castle Renais, except there was one small hitch in the plan. There were enemy soldiers at every entry point to the castle, so Ephraim had decided to push all of his forces through one of the points instead of spreading his men around. Unfortunately, these soldiers seemed to be much more experienced than the rabble that they had fought earlier. Yelling angrily, Joshua brought his sword down hard against his foe's shield, slicing through the wooden planks and piercing the armor.

Joshua watched dispassionately as the soldier breathed his last. In battle, there was no time to regret killing others. Only after the battle were you allowed time to think about the people you've killed. He was musing about those thoughts when he heard a sound behind him. Spinning, he spotted another soldier running towards him, a lance set against his shoulder in a charge.

Before Joshua could even blink, a javelin flew through the air and pierced an unarmored part of the soldier's body, striking the neck and nearly decapitating the soldier. He lowered his sword and looked around for his rescuer. "Tana?"

"Are you okay?" Tana looked down from her mount, smiling at Joshua. A spare lance was hanging from her hand as she examined the results of her work. "I saw you and I was wondering if you needed help."

"I didn't need it, but thanks." Joshua smiled back at her. He saluted her briefly with his sword before moving on, spotting a couple of fighters that were harassing other members of the army. Tana watched him leave for a moment before directing her pegasus back into the sky.

'_The sky is always so beautiful…'_ Tana thought as she flew around, gazing at the pure blue sky with awe. Even after all the times she had flown through the sky, she was still astounded at how beautiful everything looked from the air. It was so quiet and peaceful, with absolutely nothing to disturb her. She could just fly forever, without having to worry about anything. It was the perfect fantasy.

Tana looked down at the battle below her, trying to see if there was anyone that required her help. A small gasp escaped her lips when she saw that Ephraim was struggling against a couple of cavaliers that were using their horses' superior mobility to ride circles around the prince. She directed her pegasus downwards, setting her lance against her shoulder as she prepared to plunge her weapon into the nearest foe. Her lance came downwards and the cavalier was speared on her lance. She kicked the body off of her lance before turning her pegasus around to attack the next cavalier.

"Tana, watch out!"

She spun at the noise, distracted. Suddenly, her pegasus reared upwards as an arrow flew past his head and Tana barely managed to hang onto the reins. Her lance slipped out of her sweaty fingers and slowly plunged towards the ground. Another arrow flashed past and Tana was jolted out of her saddle, saved only by her tight grip on the reins. She gulped with terror as she hung from the reins with one arm. Tana gasped as an arrow lodged into her arm and her fist opened by reflex. She let out a scream as she began falling from the sky.

It was a long way to the ground.

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Chris: Well, hoped you enjoyed it so far. It's not really romancy yet, but I'm planning on developing the whole relationship thing first before actually having the whole "OMFG WE'RE IN LOVE!" part. So, hope you've enjoyed it and leave a review please!

Note: EDITED! Also, fixed some of the parts that were off. Other than that, this is virtually unchanged. Waaaait…Yes. No. Maybe. Also notice my weak-ass editing that magically switched the attack from Grado to Renais. Yes.


	2. Chapter 2: Taking New Wagers

Chris: Oh crap. I just realized that Innes is in this story and technically it's taking place in Ephraim's story when he's attacking Grado. Which means that Innes is _not _supposed to be here. This is known as a **bad** thing. Crap, crap, crap. Dammit, I wish someone else had noticed it. Oh well. Editing time! Anyway, enjoy the chapter while I think of a way to fix this!

Note: It's fixed. Their attacking Castle Renais now, when Innes is _actually_ in the party.

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**Chapter 2: Taking New Wagers**

"Unh…"

"You finally woke up."

Tana blinked open her eyes, feeling as if she had broken every bone in her body. Her arm throbbed like mad, sending waves of agony across her body. That alone wouldn't have been bad, but her back and legs were killing her too. She groaned, trying to see who had spoken earlier. However, a restraining, yet gentle, hand pressed her back down on the bed. Tana complied, closing her eyes again and trying to somehow adjust with all the pain.

"This is why I told you that you don't belong on the battlefield!" Innes's strong voice rose and Tana could hear a chair scraping against the ground. She opened her eyes again and she saw Innes standing over her, his hands clenched into fists. They shook angrily, as if he was building up enough power and anger to punch someone in the face. She was surprised to see small tears trickling out of the sides of his eyes.

"Dammit, Tana! Why don't you ever listen to me?" Innes snapped, pounding the seat of the chair with his fist. He glared at his little sister and she was a little scared of the furious light that had appeared in his brown eyes.

"B-But…I'm still okay…So why are you so angry?" Tana asked softly.

"You don't understand, do you?" Innes said softly, a stark contrast to his earlier mood. He unclenched his fists and stared at Tana hard, causing her to squirm slightly beneath the covers. "You could have died, Tana. Whether you did or you didn't isn't the case here. It's the fact that you were in danger. Do you understand that every time you fight, you put your life on the line?"

"Y-Yes!" Tana replied fiercely, but Innes detected a note of uncertainty in her voice. The prince of Frelia just shook his head.

"Hmmm…Do you really? I wonder if your other visitor can beat some sense into you. You're too stubborn to listen to me." Innes stalked out of the healing tent, leaving Tana to mull over her thoughts. She didn't have a lot of time to herself, however, as Joshua quickly entered and sat in the seat that Innes had vacated.

"Good to see you're feeling better." Joshua said, his gambler's smile on his face. He pointed a thumb at the tent flap and smirked. "Your brother just gave you a mouthful?"

"Yeah…" Tana murmured, looking downtrodden. "He's right, though. I put myself in danger, but…I still don't understand. I know that Eirika and Ephraim fight to save their homeland. I say I fight so I can help my friends, but do I really know? Maybe I _should_ just return back to Frelia."

"Nonsense!" Joshua scoffed. "If you're going to return home because of a simple question, then we all might as well leave. It's not like I'm fighting for anything heroic. I'm just here for the ride, Tana, and it's my plan to experience as much as possible. I risk my life because it's my life to risk. I gamble with the odds and so far I've always won."

"But I don't gamble, Joshua. I risk my life, but there's always a part of me that holds me back, that keeps me from giving my all. I think I'm scared, Joshua. I love this life too much. The sound of the birds in the morning, the crisp cool air, the beautiful sun and sky…" Tana's hands tightened on the bed sheet. "I want to fight, Joshua, but I don't want to die. I'm such a coward. No wonder Innes wants me to go home."

"I can't believe I'm listening to this." Joshua said incredulously. "Is this the same Tana who said that she was going to fight for herself? What happened to her? Don't tell me a single talk with her brother destroyed her spirit. I can't believe that."

"What do you mean?" Tana looked at Joshua, slightly confused. "I'm the same as always…Just a little less naïve."

"Less naïve? You haven't lost naïveté. You've lost the will to fight because of one single incident. As I recall, you said a good queen needs to be strong and wise. Is giving up because of one mistake wise? Are you willing to let down so many people just because you don't think you can handle it?" Joshua continued, his tone growing heated.

"I…don't know." Tana mumbled.

"Good. Now that you're thinking about it, let's make a bet." Joshua's face broke out in a small grin. He pulled out his double-headed coin from his pocket. "Once again, I wager something important to me. The stakes…We are wagering on you. I'm willing to bet everything that you _will_ find your reason for fighting. Tana, you're too strong to let something like this stop you."

"…Why are you betting for me?" Tana asked.

"Why? I dunno. Maybe I just think you can succeed. After all, that's why I've been sticking with you." Joshua shrugged. "So, do we have a deal?"

"What's to stop me from just going home so I'll win?" Tana questioned, looking curiously at the crimson-haired gambler.

"You won't do that." Joshua smirked. "If you did, I'd be very disappointed."

Joshua stood, tossing Tana a mock salute. His smile still remained on his face as he pushed open the tent flap, taking one last look at her. His brownish-red eyes glinted with confidence as he gave her a little wave of farewell before leaving. Tana watched the flap fall down, feeling troubled and a little bit flattered. Joshua said he was betting something important on her being able to succeed. It meant a lot.

Tana sighed and pushed herself off of the bed. A brief flicked of pain ran through her body, but she ignored it. Grabbing her clothes, she quickly got dressed and took in a deep breath. She couldn't, wouldn't give up here. Joshua was right. She didn't need a heroic reason for fighting. She just wanted to help her friends. That was reason enough to keep fighting.

_---_

"…Is she staying?"

"Yes, no thanks to you." Joshua grumbled angrily as he strolled towards his tent, trying to ignore the piercing glare of Innes, prince of Frelia. He didn't bother looking at the brown-gray haired prince as he walked beside him. "Your words weren't exactly inspirational."

"They weren't supposed to be. I wanted to wake her up. She can't live in a dream, Joshua." Innes said, a small hint of gentleness present in his normally stern voice. "War is not a game."

"War is not a highly structured game of chess, either." Joshua retorted. "You can't expect everyone to move according to your will. Let Tana be. She's stronger than you think."

"I know that." Innes answered simply. "Vanessa and Syrene called her one of their best pupils. If she wasn't a princess, Tana could become the commander of a full wing of knights."

"Then why do you scorn her, insult her?" Joshua finally stopped, turning to face the Frelian prince. "Every time you talk to her, it's to tell her that she's doing something wrong. Nobody needs that, Innes. Especially in the middle of a war. Give her some support for once. Then maybe she'll become stronger."

"You may be a scheming, careless gambler, but you may be right. I'll think upon your words, Joshua. Perhaps there is something to what you say." Innes said thoughtfully.

"Thanks." Joshua replied sarcastically. He was about to enter his tent when Innes restrained him. The gambler turned back to him, a long sigh escaping from his lips. "Don't tell me you want to flip the coin now."

"It's not that. Why are you so concerned about my sister, anyway? I would never have figured you to be the type to care about another person's affairs."

"…" Joshua didn't reply, because he didn't have an answer. It wasn't a question he preferred to dwell upon. _'Maybe I'll just have to think of it more. Why **am** I concerned about Tana? It's not like I'm doing this just because of chance, am I? No, I'm doing this because she's my friend.'_

"Well?" Innes said impatiently, tapping his foot. "I don't have all the time in the world, Joshua. Give me an answer."

"I don't have one." Joshua said as he turned away and walked into the solitude of his quarters. Once inside, he immediately went to his bed, collapsing on it tiredly. His cloth pillow never looked so inviting in his life. He knew it was his fault for staying up late to check on Tana, but he didn't regret his actions. He had to make sure the blue-haired princess was doing fine, no matter what L'Arachel or Natasha said. He didn't doubt their healing skills, but he just had to see for himself, to make sure she was safe.

Joshua couldn't describe how scared he felt when he saw the arrows fly towards Tana's pegasus. He was the one who had shouted the warning too late. He had seen her fall to the ground and he was the one who had reached her unmoving body first. It was he who had seen how deathly pale she had looked, with blood slowly flowing out of her mouth in a thin trail across her lips. He was the one who had checked for her pulse and felt that immense wave of calm when he realized she was still alive.

'_Why…do I care for her so much? In that bet, I said I would put everything on the line for her. Would I do this just for a friend? No…' _Joshua thought to himself. He shrugged mentally. Whether the reason, all that remained was the fact that he would risk everything in order to keep her moving forward. She was so full of life, of enthusiasm, that to see her give up on everything would be a loss to the world. Frelia was lucky that it would soon get a queen such as her. Tana was wrong about one thing. It took a strong and wise queen to rule a country, but another thing a queen needed was dedication and energy. It was a good thing that Tana possessed everything she needed.

With that thought, Joshua closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

_---_

"Sorry I can't go with you in the final assault." Tana said sadly as she looked at Joshua, her right arm tied in a thick cast that prevented her from doing anything that required the use of that arm, which unfortunately was the arm she used to fight with. She grinned ruefully at the swordsman.

"Hey, that's not a problem. Just rest up and heal that arm. You'll be fighting with us soon." Joshua put a reassuring hand on Tana's shoulder. He motioned with his head at Castle Renais, smirking slightly at the cold, gray stones. "Besides, it would be hard for you to fight in such restrained quarters, so don't worry about it. Anyway, we're heading out now, so I'll see you after we've reclaimed this castle and drive out the Grado soldiers that are occupying it."

"Okay." Tana let out a little laugh. "Good luck, Joshua."

He snorted, brushing back some of his long, crimson hair. "I'm a gambler, Tana. I don't need luck. I make my own."

"Well, okay. But let some of my luck travel with you." Tana leaned over and kissed Joshua lightly on the cheek. "Please, be safe."

"Hey, when I gamble on my safety, I always make sure I win." Joshua winked and left to join the others that would be accompanying them in this attack. Tana turned to join the people who would be staying behind when Innes stopped her, a strange look of remorse on his face. Tana quirked an eye at her brother, certain that she was in for a tongue-lashing for some offense that she hadn't even done yet.

"Tana…I have to say that I'm sorry."

"What?" Tana asked in surprise. This was _not_ what she was expecting. Her brother rarely apologized for anything.

"I said I was sorry. You have to understand that you're my sister, Tana. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. So if I seem a little too overbearing to you, just know it's because I care about you." Innes finished, enfolding his little sister in a comforting, if kind of awkward, hug. Tana returned the hug as best as she could, smiling up at her older brother.

"Thank you, Innes. It means a lot to hear you say that." Tana said happily. "I'll try my best to not worry you."

Innes released her, his stern expression returning back to his face. "Good. Don't get overconfident, Tana. That's the first thing that kills a soldier. Keep your senses alert and your weapon ready. Only then will you survive. You're not the strongest person around, Tana. You have to make sure that you become the strongest." He walked away before Tana could reply.

A small smile worked its way onto Tana's lips and she suppressed a giggle of laughter. Innes had a lot to learn about speaking to others. Still, it was step up from what he normally said. Tana idly wondered if Joshua had been the reason why Innes had finally apologized to her. If so, it would be another thing that she could thank him for. Joshua had done so much for her lately. There had to be some way to repay the favor.

An image of her kissing Joshua full on the lips surfaced in her mind and Tana blushed. She didn't want to thank him like _that_. It wasn't right and besides, she doubted that Joshua liked her in that way. He had a lot more important things to do and he probably had someone he loved back at his home. No, Joshua probably wouldn't enjoy it if she returned his generosity with a kiss. It just wouldn't feel right to do that.

Still, there had to be some way she could thank him. She felt bad about everything he had done, with her giving almost nothing in return. But what could she give him? Her thoughts surfaced to the kiss she had given Joshua earlier and once again, Tana blushed. Why did kissing keep popping up in her mind? Was she in love with Joshua? No…It couldn't be, right? They were just friends. Not in love at all.

As she walked back to her tent to await the results of the battle, she couldn't help blushing again. If it _was_ love, she could only hope Joshua felt the same way. Because what every good queen needs is a handsome king.

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Chris: Whoo! Part 2 of the trilogy! Anyway, everything timeline-ish has been fixed (albeit crappily), so everyone is in their proper place! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm sorry 'bout the long wait. I haven't had much FE inspiration lately. Anyway, review please and tell me what you think! 


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